The Prodigal Son: Coming Home

An anxious prodigal journeyed home, practicing his speech: “Father, I have sinned ...” His thoughts raced with the possible conclusions to this painful ordeal. “Will dad take me back? Will he speak to me? Will he allow me to be one of his hired servants?” But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Norman Cox imagined this scene from the perspective of the Prodigal when he saw his home in the distance: “He became aware that a man had left the house and was running to meet him. ‘Who can it be, and why is he running?’ He did not remember any servant who ran like this one, and he knew it was not his elder brother. The one who ran was like his father. He remembered his father’s running when they played games together when he was a boy. It could not be his father, however, because his father was too old to run like that. Thus he speculated until the father was near enough to recognize beyond all doubt. He was astounded that his father ran so fast. But he was more amazed at the radiance of his father’s countenance.”

The son began his memorized speech but his overjoyed father didn’t let him finish. Robe and ring and sandals were quickly brought for the disheveled son: Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine who was dead is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. It was time to party!

Jesus meant this story to be a picture of God and us. It is a story of “our self-willed breaking away from (God) into adventures far from God. In it he has shown us the inescapable consequences of sin.” But in the story we also find that God, with an indescribable longing and yearning (he runs toward repentant sinners!), waits for a Prodigal to come to himself because only “then will he become conscious of his need and his guilt, and be moved to abhor and confess his sin.”

God isn’t looking for endless apologies or explanations. He only wants a confession: I have sinned against heaven and against you. Then he can restore you to your rightful place as one of God’s loved and blessed sons.